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I won’t lie…it’s a tough week.

When the relief of summer rolls around, I get lazy and selfish and protective of my “me” time.

And let’s be honest, VBS flies in the face of “me” time.

For weeks leading up to it, there are cut-outs to create, crafts to prepare, ridiculously large decorations to make, volunteers to recruit, supplies to gather, food to organize…

And then…

It arrives…and I can’t imagine how anyone ever thought we could fit all these kids into this small church.  Oh - and they’re absolutely wired.  Or scared to tears.  Or too cool to care about anything.  Or selectively deaf. Or all of the above.

Yeah…and every group leader looks like a deer in headlights…including me.

But we jump in.  We get rolling.  We dance and sing, we pull kids off railings, we laugh and play games, we tell silly jokes.  We pray, we eat, we talk about Jesus, we talk about keeping our hands to ourselves.  We get headaches, we eat cereal for dinner, we faceplant into our pillows at 8pm and get up to do it all again.

Why?  What on earth is this even accomplishing?  Is this just free half-day daycare at a church?  

For many kids in our community, this is the one time a year that they hear about Jesus and his great love for them.  

For others, it will be the first time they consider the truth that they need a savior and realize that Jesus wants a relationship with them. For others still, it will be what leads them to decide to give their lives to Him.

For me, 20 years ago, VBS was the first time I realized that I could read and memorize Scripture, and that God would use it in my life.  I’ll never forget it.

When we think on these things and remember their worth?  Well, we can’t help but show up year after year.

We can’t help but joyfully say “yes” to being a part of God’s pursuit of our kids.  We can’t help but jump at the chance to communicate God’s great love to these young ones.  As the week goes on and they begin to consider the words from our songs, the teachings connected to the crafts, and the truths contained in their memory verses, the kids begin to ask the most fascinating and challenging questions.  They start to consider the truth as it pertains to them.  They start to think about their own sin and see what God has done to wash it away and bring them near.

At the risk of sounding like a Macy’s sale commercial…

We’ve just got to be there.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you that VBS transforms us too.  Those conversations, those times of worship, those moments of full-on, doubled-over laughter, those earnest prayers from little mouths…

They change us.

You can’t be around that much gospel joy and walk away unchanged.  

There is not a single volunteer who leaves VBS without considering God’s pursuit of him, his own weakness, and God’s unlimited strength.

I encourage you to send your kids to VBS and/or consider being a part of it in some way.  Everyone is taxed, and everyone is blessed.

No amount of “me” time accomplishes the spiritual growth that God does through that week.  

I do not remember even the best “me” times I’ve had.

But I remember my one VBS as a kid.

And I remember every single one I’ve participated in as an adult.

And my kids remember every single one in which they’ve taken part.

Yes, it’s a tough week.  But at the end of it?

None of us will be the same.

To find out more about MCC's Vacation Bible School and how you can give up some of your "me time" this summer while serving some East Mountain and Albuquerque kids visit our VBS page!

My initial meeting with Sara didn’t go well. Instead it went something like this, “Hey there sleepyhead, I’m Joy. I’ll be your Camp Counselor for the week.” Quickly followed by 12-year-old Sara stomping off with an unpleasant look on her face and me thinking, “Oh great, what am I going to do now?”

Sometimes first meetings don’t go as smoothly as we hope! For a long time, it was my dream to become a camp counselor. Last summer, God made that dream a reality when I became a staff member at Fort Lone Tree, a Christian camp serving kids 8-12 years old.

Each week’s group of campers, and each camper, was unique. There were the “Pranksters,” the “Daredevils,” the “Shy” or the “Out-going.” I was never sure what to expect but one camper in particular had a lasting impact on me. Her name was Sara. 

Unfortunately, as you just read, my initial encounter with Sara had a bumpy start. Upon seeing her limp body complete with drowsy eyes and unkept hair emerge from the long bus ride to camp, my well-intentioned welcome, including playful teasing, was ill received. The days that followed left me playing “catch-up” with our relationship; trying to repair any damage my words had caused.  

Often, I found myself praying for Sara and seeking wisdom on how I could show God’s love to her.

One day, I felt the Lord tell me to speak words of encouragement.  Tell her, “I am proud of you, you are beautiful, I am here for you, and . . . I love you.”

“Love is patient, love is kind.” Corinthians 13:4

During those first few days of camp, home-sickness played a part in Sara’s negative behavior. She often displayed a lack of interest in participation as well as an unwillingness to comply with what was asked of her.

Daily, her attitude tried my patience, but God never let me lose hope.  

And just when I least expected it, a co-counselor approached me to say that Sara requested a photo of herself on the zipline and wanted me to see it. Sara was a fearful girl but she felt riding the zipline would be a way she could prove herself. She told the counselor, “I want to go on the zipline so that Joy will be proud of me.”

Those words surprised me as I realized my encouragement had reached Sara’s heart and she desired to show me, in her own way, that I could truly be proud of her. A few days later, I received the first hug from Sara since her arrival.  “You remind me of my mother,” she said. “She always tells me that she loves me and she’s proud of me.”

The remaining days with Sara were much different and on the last day at the Fort she snuck a note in my bed that left me in tears of joy. “Thank you for teaching me how to be brave and for always saying I am beautiful and for telling me that you are proud of me. I love you Joy. You are the best camp counselor ever!”

Then, before she boarded the bus for her journey home, she ran to give me a final hug and say how much she was going to miss me. I didn’t know how the week would go down with Sara. I questioned my abilities and was often at my last straw with her.

As I watched the bus pull away, I was overcome with thanksgiving to God for the work He accomplished in my heart and in Sara’s.

The many challenges I faced during my time at The Fort helped me reach the goals I initially set for myself: to deepen my relationship with God, seek His direction for my life, and learn to be His hands and feet as I shared His love and spread the Gospel.

Glory to God because these goals were fulfilled and prayers were answered, especially in regards to the precious young people I met.

As we start this summer I would encourage you to consider how God might use you to serve, how you can be his hands and feet and deepen your relationship with Him! There are opportunites to serve with MCC's Youth Groups, with Vacation Bible School and more!

Our God gives the good gift of summer -- so full of color and light, music and memories, streets of dust, and lizards squirming out of the grasp of the sweaty hand of a small person. We search for clouds that might bring moisture and collect it in special buckets to quench our thirsty soil. 

Summer automatically brings change, doesn’t it? Children are out of school and long-planned vacations are suddenly an “x” on the next week of the calendar.  Even the cadence of the church rushes toward VBS, drops off, before slowly sliding toward school. Sometimes, things can slip out of focus.

Summer is still a time to savor Scripture. It is so good to sit at our Savior’s nail-scarred feet and hear His heart for us through His Word as He reveals more … more holiness, more love, more faithfulness, more forgiveness, more passion for His people.

And our Bible is so near! On our phones, on our computers, on our bookshelves, oh please let it be in our hearts and read from our hands as well.

Do you have a bible reading plan for this summer?  I would like to invite you to join us in the Gospel of John.  Why the Gospel of John? Because this is the one who describes himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” John, who writes poetic word pictures, patiently piecing the Old Testament with the Incarnation in the new. John, who labored for his beloved Master in this endeavor so that his readers would know, would learn, and would believe that the Son of God did indeed come to this planet! John got to walk with Him! John heard from His very lips, he was there the dreadful night of the crucifixion, and was amazed at the resurrection. He would never be the same for all eternity, and he invites his readers to examine the evidence that they may join him.

There are two different studies for women this summer.

• Wednesday evenings, starting June 6th at 5:30 p.m. we will begin a 12-week study by Justin Buzzard. This is part of the Knowing the Bible Series edited by J. I. Packer. The cost is $10, but scholarships are available.
• If you are looking for a morning study, we will begin discussion on the Gospel of John on Monday, June 11th at 10 a.m. No cost, just bring your bible and read with us.  

Let’s see what the Lord will teach us this summer! We encourage you, as you savor the sunny days of summer with it's changing schedule and more relaxed pace, to stay in the Word and let it fall afresh on you!

^“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  John 4:23-24

Contact Elizabeth Allan or visit MCC's Women's Ministry page to learn more about either of these studies!

Talking with Kathleen Cantwell was like a soothing balm for a momma’s soul. It was a gentle reminder that God’s grace abounds; in parenting, discipling, and even social media. And let’s be honest, parenting in this modern world calls for an abundance of grace and an attitude of awareness. Many of us may want to stick our parental heads in the sand or stay as far away from all social media and emerging technology as possible, thinking if our children never venture into it, these modern facts of life will not affect them. It is simply not true.

I first heard Kathleen speak at the Get R.E.A.L. conference last year in Albuquerque about parenting in the modern world and had been hoping I would have the chance to talk with her one-on-one. I got that chance one morning over coffee, this is my takeaway from our conversation.

Kathleen came to faith when she was 17, long before there was any notion of Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram. Having grown up outside of the church she began her faith walk with Young Life. After being saved she felt called to live a mission-focused life. Her experience with Young Life further inspired and encouraged her ministry. What she learned through Young Life, how she was encouraged and taught to disciple, still rings true today. It is a concept that has carried through to her ministry, church, raising children and to adapting to a constantly changing world of social media trends.

When I asked Kathleen about how she parented her children, who attended public school, through a time of intense growth in social media she said, “First, I would say that public school is NOT for the faint of heart. Our children were exposed to things much earlier than we would have wanted them to be but, because we are a mission-focused family, we realized early-on that this would be true for our children as well.”

When her boys entered 6^th and 8^th grades in the Albuquerque Public School system, Kathleen and her husband realized that their boys would soon have to have phones. “We held out as long as we could,” she said, “but by the time they got to 8^th / 9^th grades we realized that they would either do it behind our back, without supervision, or they would do it with our permission and under our watch.”

Adopting an “inverted funnel” concept to how they would allow their children to function on social media and to use these devices was an intentional process. They also realized that there was a profound difference between behavior modification and real heart change.

“We had to learn to be responsive instead of reactive, had to encourage learning and growth, instead of guilt,” she said. “Instead of making them feel ashamed over whatever decision they had made, we would encourage them by saying, ‘This is not God’s best for you, while asking how they could move past it?’ Kids know what it feels like to be convicted, God lays convictions on our hearts to discipline, train, and encourage us in the way that we should go.”

As her children increased their presence on social media, MySpace at the time, she was attentive without being overbearing and involved without be obvious. “At first, we allowed them to have 15 “friends” and if they proved they could be trustworthy at that level,” she said, “then we allowed more freedom.” There were also consequences that followed when trust was broken.

Additionally, because Kathleen was involved in her boys’ lives and held a Young Life group meeting weekly at her house, many of those students “friended” her on social media. And, many of those kids were already “friends” with her sons on social media. Through this, she was aware of what her boys and some of their friends were posting.

When her children messed up, usually by posting pictures or statements that where not glorifying, she would encourage them to “think more highly of yourself than that and realize who you are as a child of God.”

Her advice?  “Tell your children, from the beginning, ‘We are setting up parameters to protect you. Much like Nehemiah posted watchmen on the wall, we are going to watch out for you until you are ready to watch out for yourself.” What a beautiful, biblical example, of how a parent protects and watches out for their children! 

Kathleen goes on to advise parents that children and social media is an almost unavoidable aspect of today’s world. Parents need to be aware of the power of social media and prayerfully encourage children of their value in Christ. She recalls telling her children repeatedly, “My interest is for your protection and to point you to Jesus.”

“Leave the door open and stay in prayer,” she encourages. “Many times, I prayed that God would protect them, shore them up in their belief, and lead them quickly to conviction.”  

But the truth is, to be convicted, we have to have an understanding of our own depravity. If we never see that we are sinners, we’ll never understand the true, undeserved, gift of forgiveness.

“Ultimately,” she said, “I had to ask myself, ‘What is the worst thing that can happen in our children’s lives?’

• Would they get pregnant or get someone else pregnant?
  • No, it is that they would not know and love the Lord God with their whole heart, mind and soul.
• Would they get into drugs?
  • No, it is that they would not know and love the Lord God with their whole heart, mind and soul.
• Would they steal, lie, or cheat?
  • No, it is that they would not know and love the Lord God with their whole heart, mind and soul.”

The list could go on and on. But the truth is, the fear and “worst case” is different for each of us. Instead of living in that fear Kathleen offered this perspective, “Do not parent out of fear,” she said. “Instead be your child’s champion! Tell them, show them, “we know that you are worthy of trust and we believe in you.”

As parents, grandparents, aunts, uncle or people who serve teens and children we have to ask ourselves: "How can we guide, support, protect, and encourage these children to be true to who they are in Christ while letting His light shine through them to people who desperately need it?

IF you have some ideas we would love to hear them! Share in the comments how you do this with the children and teens in your life!

Five loaves and two fishes. You remember the story right?

Jesus had crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee and a crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. When Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down with his disciples he saw the great crowd coming toward him, and asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Simon Peter’s brother Andrew, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (paraphrased from John 6:1-9)

Just as the boy who gave the bread and fish never thought his meager offering would be enough, I wondered how my tiny contribution could make a difference in a country as big as Bolivia during a mission trip there in March. I knew exactly what he felt like!

Throughout the trip I wondered:

“How can conversations using my limited Spanish vocabulary have any Eternal impact?”

I don’t know but I did have fun helping Dakota Powell's sponsor child practice her English homework, I enjoyed getting to know the mothers in the Savings Group by asking them about their children and I enjoyed teaching a group of children about savings.  All in broken English, usually through a translator, but always hopeful that God’s love would shine through me and shower them with His affection.

“Did hiking alongside 14-year-old Tatiana really have eternal significance?”

Again, I don't know, but I learned that Tatiana loves all kinds of flowers and that her favorite animal is a rabbit and for that day she had the full attention of one person who really wanted to get to know her and share the love of Jesus with her.

“How can sewing a hem into a sheet of plastic while telling our bus driver about my pets (because that is the only vocabulary that I knew) make a difference?”

Still, I don't know, but through our translator he shared that he and his wife have lost two babies and I was able to use that time, and my broken Spanish, to encourage him.

So that big question that continually pestered me throughout the trip: “How can my tiny contribution make a difference in a country as big as Bolivia?” I never actually found a concrete answer to that but I do know that I loved communicating with the children, FH staff and people I met in Villa Margarita and God taught me so much about myself and showed me what I COULD do in the midst of everything I was afraid I couldn’t! It seems small but it grew my faith!

And, do you remember the end of the story about the boy who gave the loaves and the fishes?

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There were about five thousand men were there and some likely had family. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. (paraphrased from John 6:10-14)

My trip to Bolivia may not have had the same obvious abundance, at least not that everyone else could see, but it taught me that God can use me just the way I am, I don't have to try to be like somebody else; I need to be willing to do what he asks and trust Him with the results.

If you are interested in learning more about Nicole's trip, or other missions trips at MCC, join us Wednesday, May 16th at 6pm at MCC for a Mission's in Focus program where we will be talking about mission trips to Guatemala, Bolivia and the Czech Republic as well as MCC's Business as Missions program. Contact Jennifer Ward for more information about that event!